


Wishing You Well

by MoonWorks (yourrain)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dimitri's Perpetual Internal Conflict, Fluff, Minor Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Unreliable Narrator, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26659414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourrain/pseuds/MoonWorks
Summary: "The duke belongs to the king, yes, but Felix hasn’t been Dimitri’s, not for a long time."Or: The Childhood Friends deserve a little vacation because politics suck.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 8
Kudos: 42





	Wishing You Well

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "King & Aegis: A Dimilix Anthology" community zine. Please check them out on Twitter.
> 
> No major archive warnings apply to this piece. However, there are allusions to Dimitri's mental health issues, consumption of food and alcohol, and implied fertility issues, so tread lightly if any of that bothers you.

“...Your Majesty?”

Dimitri bolts upright. The motion is so abrupt that the carriage rocks with it. Felix lets out a petulant noise but doesn’t wake.

Dimitri’s head swivels around to meet Sylvain’s unperturbed expression, hoping he hasn’t been found out. 

To be caught staring—and so blatantly at that— is nothing short of mortifying. This has been happening for some time now. His mind’s fixation with every minute detail of Felix’s existence is beginning to overwhelm him. 

He’s always been compelled by Felix, from their fleeting childhood to their tumultuous teenage years. Even now, fully grown, there always seems to be something new to discover and get wrapped up in. Oftentimes he can’t fathom that Felix is truly there. Alive and well, taking up his late father’s mantle beautifully.

If Sylvain had noticed the way Dimitri’s eye traced over Felix’s sun-soaked form again and again, then he must think better of mentioning it or risk starting an argument. After all, if the king wishes to observe ( _ ogle _ , chides his mind) his duke, then who is a mere margrave to stop him? His stomach sours. That’s the weeks of nonstop politics talking, the more rational part of himself decides. It’s infinitely more likely that Sylvain is sparing him the humiliation of explaining himself. But perhaps, he muses, staging an intervention would be the kinder thing to do.

The duke belongs to the king, yes, but Felix hasn’t been Dimitri’s, not for a long time. 

"My apologies, Sylvain. You were saying?"

"Nothing of great import, Your Majesty." Sylvain offers an easy smile, thumb rolling gently across the back of Ingrid's hand. The light making Felix look so enchanting also has her wedding band glimmering like the sands of the Feaerghan coastline in Blue Sea Moon. "We were merely expressing our gratitude for allowing us to accompany you here." 

Dimitri's heart, the contemptuous thing that it is, takes a dive from his ribcage and into his stomach. "We're not far enough out of territory to dispense with formalities, I see," Dimitri replies before he can stop himself. He winces at how petulant that sounds.

Sylvain and Ingrid’s mouths tighten, but their grimaces quickly smooth back into the courtly masks Dimitri was hoping to escape for a few nights. Rather than Sylvain, it’s Ingrid who breaks the tension. 

"Well, I see the missus is beginning to rub off on you, Your Majesty.” She offers a grin to rival Sylvain’s, inclining her head towards Felix. “You’ve never been quite so forthright."

"I'd say more than rubbed off,” Sylvain says. “What with the tongue-lashing His Majesty gave that count the other day. Poor man won’t show himself in court for the rest of the season, most like.”

"Oh, yes, that was something wasn’t it.” Ingrid nods. “I had no idea you could come up with such creative insults, Your Majesty."

Dimitri lets out a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please don't remind me." 

Felix certainly hadn't let him live it down. The Duke is still seething with the fact that he'd had to suck up to the count on Dimitri's behalf in the form of escorting the count's daughter to the equinox ball last week. Felix swore that he'd make Dimitri suffer for that as they climbed into the carriage afterward. Dimitri had suffered  _ plenty _ watching Felix draw her delicate form to his own powerful figure and gift her with smiles softer and sweeter than the cakes he stuffed himself with by the buffet. 

“Maybe you’ll learn to stay your tongue,” Says Felix, voice raspy with sleep. He straightens up and smooths his bangs. They immediately fall back to where they were. “Better yet, maybe you all could shut up for once.”

“You’re one to talk,” Ingrid scoffs and Dimitri’s relief is immense. If there’s one thing that he knows to be true, it’s that Felix and Ingrid will never stop their bickering, titles be damned. “Your foul temperament is infamous!”

Sylvain appears to be relieved too, faux smile turning genuine. “How about we talk about something more interesting then. Do you think Glenn was just pulling our legs?” 

Dimitri’s tentative smile melts away. “Glenn” is a topic that he’s still not brave enough to breach on his own. Neither is Ingrid judging from the way she looks down and squeezes Sylvain’s hand.

“Obviously,” Felix scoffs. “Do you  _ really _ believe that an ‘all-powerful’ dragon lives in the center of the earth and chooses to spend its days breathing fire through a hole in order to heat water for some humans?”

“I don’t know,” Sylvain shrugs. He sounds utterly genuine for once. “After all that we’ve seen, that would hardly be the most unusual thing we’ve encountered.” 

“You’re a disgrace,” Felix sighs. 

Sylvain lets out a hiss, clutching his chest for dramatic effect. 

“Says the one who almost soiled himself flying this morning!” Ingrid jeers. Felix turns a pretty shade of red. 

“I did not!” Felix shouts in a way that makes Dimitri feel like he’s nine years old again. 

“In Felix’s defense, I think most people would react that way to being bucked mid-air,” Dimitri chimes in. 

“I don’t need your help!” Felix snaps. 

Dimitri’s smile returns, a bit wry this time. “I suppose not.” Felix hardly ever has need of him, truthfully. “Apologies.”

“Ooh!” Sylvain says. “Too bad those springs can only cure physical ailments. I think you’ve broken all of our hearts, Felix.”

The conversation fades away from Dimitri as his thoughts consume him. Only physical illnesses then?

What a shame. 

* * *

The resort town is charming, but the only mysterious thing about it is how vendors get away with charging such ludicrous prices. 

From the animated gestures taking place down the hall, Dimitri can guess that Ingrid is chewing Felix out for an entirely different reason now while the poor girl at the desk looks on in dismay. Sylvain is smiling, rocking on his barstool as he downs the last of his complimentary ale. 

“Um. Is there a problem with the rooms, sir?”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Is Sylvain’s breezy reply. “Dimitri?”

Dimitri startles at the sound of his name in Sylvain’s silvery voice. He isn’t sure what to say. _ Is there? _

Felix and Dedue had arranged this outing, so the others assumed there was nothing to worry about and they knew better than to offer their aid. Around midday, Felix announced that they’d be switching carriages. A reasonable, if unfortunate, precaution to take. They are deep in west Fodlan, after all, and not everyone has taken kindly to Dimitri’s reign, particularly this close to the former empire. 

After the switch was made into an unmarked carriage, including a change of clothes, Felix launched into a lecture that would’ve made Rodrigue proud. Of course, Felix being Felix, it mostly amounted to “don’t be an idiot” and “how dare you lot come unarmed,” but he’s become much more nuanced in the past year and a half.

“One last thing,” Felix said, sounding tired of his own voice after 2 short minutes. “Given that Dedue went to such great lengths to ensure our privacy, it’s better that we refrain from using our titles. All right?” (Dimitri had done a rather poor job of concealing just how much he liked that idea.) Felix didn’t wait for their assent of course. “Our given names are common enough to avoid unwanted attention, I think. Use them sparingly though. Dimitri, Sylvain, put your signets on these chains and hide them under your clothes. Ingrid, I’m sorry, but I think you should take down your braids for now. Too many people will recognize the style.” 

They’d done as asked, taking two vulneraries and a steel sword each (Goddess knows where Felix had kept  _ those _ hidden), then enjoyed a picnic lunch courtesy of Ashe and Dedue by Lake Teutates. Slowly, Dimitri had begun to hope that maybe it would be a peaceful trip after all despite what his mind would have him believe.

“Just enjoy your anniversary, dammit!” Felix screams.

“I will!” Ingrid shouts back. “In the  _ honeymoon suite! _ Not the royal suite!” 

A vase shatters. Wishful thinking.

“Aaaand that’s my cue,” Sylvain hops off his stool. “Mind filling this up while I’m gone, doll?” Sylvain winks at the confused hostess and Dimitri sighs as he sips his milk wearily.

~

In the end, Sylvain and Ingrid go to the royal suite as planned and the property damage is significantly less than the 50 gold Dimitri usually allots for such occasions, so he’ll call that a victory. 

“Oh, how lovely,” Dimitri says, mouthing forming a little “o” shape as he follows Felix inside. 

Admittedly, once the words “honeymoon suite” had registered, his mind had begun to whirl. Half of it was a fear of being surrounded by a barrage of gaudy pinks and reds and the other half was comprised of some desire that he doesn’t know how to articulate. 

The suite is sizable, but not intimidatingly so. Thanks to the large windows, it’s bright and the wooden furniture adds a pleasant warmth. The table by the fireplace will be useful for writing letters or taking tea, and the thick rugs are a nice touch. The various burgundy accents and rotund vanilla-scented candles lend the room a romantic atmosphere that he can appreciate. Although he doesn’t expect to sleep much, the large bed is enticing with its plump pillows and fluffy duvet. 

Felix grunts non-committally, dropping onto a couch to remove his boots. Dimitri hovers in the center of the room until Felix tells him to sit down or make himself useful and unpack. Dimitri opts for the latter, gingerly arranging their clothes in the chest against the wall as best he can. 

“Well, say what it is you want to say,” Felix prompts him as he begins to fish out some of the things Dimitri had put into the drawers to hang them in the wardrobe instead.

Dimitri considers lying. Felix would know. “Why the honeymoon suite?”

“Privacy. I know you don’t like to bathe with others, and this suite has a washroom inside and a private hot spring in the back. It’s also the second-largest room here, so even someone as oafish as yourself should be able to move around without knocking something over. It comes with breakfast, dinner, and tea, so I don’t have to worry about you starving yourself, either. And most importantly, it’s as far away from the royal suite as we can get in the same inn.”

Dimitri frowns. “That’s a good thing?”

“If you don’t want to hear the happy couple ‘celebrating’ it is. And believe me, I  _ don’t. _ Or did you not hear Sylvain when he said they plan to conceive by Founding Day?”

Dimitri colors. He had in fact chosen to forget. “Ah, I see.” 

A knock at the door gives Dimitri an excuse to duck away. He’s surprised to find an elderly woman with a cart. She wiggles past Dimitri and lays out a cheese board along with a bucket of ice and wine. Finally, she reaches into the cart and hands Dimitri a hefty bouquet. “Congratulations!” She chirps and toddles away.

“Thank you,” Dimitri replies out of habit and she’s long gone before he realizes what just happened. 

~

It isn’t until Felix wanders out in nightclothes, freshly bathed with his hair loose that Dimitri inquires about their sleeping arrangements. 

“Felix?”

Felix makes an affirmative grunt, without turning away from the vanity, too busy brushing out the tangles in his hair. Dimitri forgets his question. Dimitri hasn’t seen Felix’s hair down in ages now and is taken with the way it cascades down his back all the way down to his trim waist, a mesmerizing blue-black to rival the fine inks they pay Claude so generously for. Felix looks over his shoulder. “Yes? What, is it, Dimitri?” 

“Um, where. Sleeping. Another?” Is the best he can manage in his flustered state. Felix stares at Dimitri like he’s grown a second head. 

“Are you asking me if there’s another bed?”

Dimitri nods.

“Then no, there’s not.” Felix turns back.

“Then where...?” Dimitri trails off.

“ _ I _ will be sleeping in the bed. You won’t sleep, although you should _. _ When you do finally sleep in a day or two, I can only hope you’ll choose to so, _ indoors. _ Maybe even in a bed.” 

Dimitri stares uncomprehendingly. 

“Is there a problem?” Felix prompts. 

“No problem,” Dimitri shakes his head. “You… You didn’t want your own room?”

“What would be the point? We’ll be out most of the time, and if the last 6 months are any indication, you’d be in my room anyway. Unless you’ve learned to sleep on your own since last night?” 

Given his station, Dimitri shouldn’t enjoy being teased, but it makes something warm and pleasant well inside of him anyway. 

“Six months already?” He muses. 

It feels like Ashe and Dedue had just married. Dimitri’s sleep schedule had gone by the wayside shortly after the wedding, the transition almost as rough as sleeping at the academy had been. Apparently, Dedue had let some of his worries slip out during tea one day. That very evening, Felix had tracked Dimitri down, chided him for haunting the palace like a ghost at all hours of the night, and extended an invitation (a command) for Dimitri to come to his room whenever he couldn’t sleep. Surely Felix hadn’t expected that to be most nights, but he never complains. Nor does he question Dimitri’s odd nighttime behaviors, remaining unphased even when he’d caught Dimitri curled up underneath his desk once. 

“If it’s any consolation,” Felix begins as he climbs into bed. “Ashe tells me that Dedue can hardly sleep without you either. Good night, Dimitri.” He blows out the last candle.

“Good night, Felix.”

~

On the first day, Dimitri and Felix don’t do much of anything to his surprise. Breakfast is delivered along with a note from Ingrid and Sylvain informing him that they’re going riding and won’t be back until nightfall. When he tries to wake Felix the other merely tells him to enjoy it before rolling onto his stomach and falling back asleep.

Dimitri settles at the table, enjoying the strong tea and warm pastries as early morning mist rolls along the peaks. Of course, his traitorous eye eventually lands on Felix. And there it remains for much of the day. He can’t recall a time when he’d seen Felix sleep so much and wonders if he’s ill. Felix, ever the mind-reader, informs Dimitri that he’d pulled a few late nights in a row to make sure everything was properly delegated before they rode off for a week. “Now stop staring at me like I’m going to drop dead and write Dedue or Professor, why don’t you?” Dimitri does write and before he knows it finds himself wriggling into bed alongside Felix just before midnight. 

On the second day, Sylvain is the first one awake and rouses the others. There happens to be a festival that day. The four wander around the village, enjoying the delicacies and splurging on souvenirs and colorful clothing they’ll never get to wear at home. At least they’d be comfortable for the rest of the trip. 

On the third day, while Ingrid and Sylvain are pampered to their heart’s content in the spa, Dimitri and Felix decide to take a day-trip to one of the coastal towns. Their guide is cheerful with the same lovely tan skin and accent as Petra from school. Dimitri isn’t one for water, and the sun hardly agrees with his fair complexion, but knowing how much Felix misses Fraldarius and the Derdriun Sea, he can’t find it in himself to complain. Somehow, they wind up staying until sunset for a bonfire. After gorging themselves with boatloads of fresh fish and crab, the people began to dance, dragging Felix into the fray alongside them. Although it had been quite some time since the White Heron Cup, it appears that Felix had kept up with his dancing. He picks up the routine quickly enough. 

“You are not going to ask him to dance?” Asks a girl, her long braid brushing the sand as she leans into Dimitri’s view.

Dimitri blinks, coming back to himself a bit. The locals had shared some specialty drink with them, a punch of sweet fruits soaked in liqueur over ice. Dimitri’s taste comes and goes still, but this he could taste and it was pleasant, so he’d kept drinking them until the world began to soften and a pleasant tingling settled into his limbs. “Beg pardon?” 

“Your friend! Though with the way you look at him, maybe he is more, yes?” She giggles and Dimitri giggles right along with her for no reason he can discern. 

“I don’t dance, miss. Not like him.”

“Not yet! Come on!” The girl is surprisingly strong and Dimitri’s just tipsy enough to go along with it, allowing her to pull him up. She’s a patient teacher, walking Dimitri through the steps a few times before throwing him into the circle. Time passes strangely, sometimes too slow, sometimes too fast, but he enjoys spinning each new partner around until he looks down and sees a familiar face. 

“Felix!” Dimitri grins, flushed and panting, and more elated than he’s been since childhood. “I missed you!”

Felix is equally flushed, from the dancing or the alcohol, he couldn’t say. He seems to have more of his facilities about himself than Dimitri at any rate. “Missed me?” Felix smirks. “I’ve been here the whole time!”

He supposes that’s true. “Felix, won’t you dance with me?”

Felix chuckles. “Isn’t that what I’m doing?”

“Dance with me as you did at the ball with her,” Dimitri insists, feeling fragile all of a sudden, throat aching and eyes stinging a bit at the thought of rejection. “Please.”

“Oh, Dimitri.” Felix’s expression softens. He winds his arms around Dimitri, pulling him close. “You fool. I’ll always dance with you. Just ask.” 

Felix’s voice becomes a pleasant rumble in Dimitri’s ear. While the others continue to switch partners, Dimitri and Felix remain with each other waltzing slowly in the sand. 

~

On the fourth morning, Dimitri wakes in a hammock, hungover, and clinging to Felix like his life depends on it. Felix smiles and continues to stroke his hair.

~

On the fifth night, they go camping, and Sylvain tells them Srengi folk tales. 

“Enough already!” Ingrid laughs. “We have a long ride back!” 

“Wait, wait, one more! This one is local. So, we haven’t seen any dragons, but what about wells?”

“‘Wells?’” The other three echo. 

“Uh-huh,” Sylvain nods. “The townsfolk say there’s an ancient well somewhere in these hills that’ll show one their heart’s deepest desire. And, if you’re lucky, a bit of the future, too!”

Felix and Ingrid dismiss it immediately, of course. Dimitri, however, perks up. If the hot springs couldn’t heal his fractured mind, then maybe he could find some direction elsewhere. 

Dimitri spends the night staring at the stars interrogating his own desires.

~

On the sixth morning, Felix rubs his so-called “over-preparation” in their faces. 

While the area was largely safe, they’d had to put their steel to use fending off bandits who apparently hadn’t seen an ounce of support from Dimitri’s relief packages. He’d have to look into that. For now, they’re sheltering in a cavern to avoid being drenched by the mid-day storm. 

The others choose to explore while Dimitri keeps watch. If there was anything positive to be said about the beast that lurks inside of him, it would be that its instincts are impeccable. He hears a sound so small that he shouldn’t have heard it at all and is on his feet in a matter of seconds.

~

On the sixth afternoon, Sylvain and Ingrid sob. 

They’d found Sylvain’s well, or well-spring rather, deep in the cavern, its magic calling out to them in a way that was impossible to ignore. Sylvain, all smiles, had gone first. Slowly his smile fell away and his shoulders began to shake. Ingrid, all skepticism, had gone next, gasping after a moment and waving for Sylvain to come back. They stare and stare at the water for so long that it’s worrying before finally pulling away. They don’t speak afterward, retreating to a corner to wipe one another’s tears. Dimitri knows better than to ask, but he thinks he has an idea of what they saw as he watches them twine their fingers across Ingrid’s belly.

Felix is curious then and strides up to the pool without a second thought. Instead of bursting into tears or flying into a rage, Felix merely smirks at the water like it’s an opponent that’s showed weakness. He’s walking away from it in less than a minute. 

“What did you see?” Asks Dimitri. 

“Nothing that I didn’t already know,” Felix shrugs. 

“Ah, I see.” Of course. If nothing else, Felix has always been self-assured. Why wouldn’t he know his own desires? Dimitri remains rooted on the spot, earning a quirked eyebrow from Felix. 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” 

Dimitri shakes his head, tongue too heavy to move. 

Felix sighs then, sounding fond and annoyed all at once. “Of all the reckless things you’ve done and horrors you’ve witnessed,  _ this _ is what frightens you?” 

Dimitri is fully aware of how silly that sounds. Regardless, he can’t will his body to move. 

Felix raises his hand, bare and calloused and surely warm. Dimitri’s arm feels like its welded to his side, stiff and unyielding. Suddenly, he can’t think either. He’s helpless, an insect caught by those amber eyes. 

“Dimitri,” Felix says, stepping closer. “It’ll be fine.”

Dimitri stays still so long he thinks Felix will get annoyed and walk away. He doesn’t. Slowly, his hand finds Felix’s and latches on like it never wants to leave. Felix tugs him along. 

Dimitri, the foolish and cowardly excuse for a man that he is, screws his eyes shut at the last second before he can see anything. It’s a pathetic display, and he waits for Felix to tell him as much. 

“Dimitri,” Felix murmurs. “Open your eyes.”

He obeys.

Dimitri shouldn’t be disappointed. He has no right to be. If anything, he should be grateful that all he sees are himself, disheveled as always, and Felix staring back. Felix nods, oddly serene, as if he’d expected as much. 

“I thought so.” Felix rises, dusting off his knees. “There. Not so frightening, is it?” He gives Dimitri’s shoulder a squeeze before joining Ingrid and Sylvain. 

Dimitri frowns, glancing down for a final look. He starts, jolting back for a moment on instinct. He shakes his head in disbelief then leans down so far that the tips of his hair graze the water. 

There in the rippling blue-green is Felix, lips quirked in a half-smile. 

Dimitri lets out a sound that’s half laughter-half sobbing. He’s trembling with the dozens of emotions swelling in his breast. Joy. Relief. Embarrassment that he’d overlooked such a simple truth. As if he hasn’t had this same epiphany every time Felix scolds him for working too late. Or when watching Felix spar with the children at the orphanage. And especially on those awful nights when the ghosts are especially cruel, so he wanders to the Duke’s chambers, worried that he’s imposing. Every time he finds Felix waiting there with a fresh pot of chamomile tea and a “What took you so long?” on his lips. 

Somewhere behind him, Dimitri can hear the others chatting and he knows they’ll be leaving soon. He dips his fingertips into the water, and a soothing feeling, something like what he feels when he’s with the professor, washes over him.

“Thank you,” He whispers to the water. 

“Dimitri,” Felix calls and Dimitri knows that he’ll never want for anything else so long as he lives. 

“Let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> I put a lot of work into this one and ultimately had to kill many of my darlings, so I'm far from satisfied, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. 
> 
> For those who are curious: yes, Sylvain and Ingrid have a little bun in the oven. :) 
> 
> Feel free to chat with me about Felix's concerning amount of swords on Twitter. Stay safe!


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